1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-slipping base configuration for a walking aid crutch and, more particularly, to a configuration of the base which has improved anti-slipping capacity.
2. Description of the Related Art
The known configuration with regard to an anti-slipping base of a walking aid crutch, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, consists of a base 2, an upholding pole 3, and a mantle 4. At the top of the base 2, there is a cavity 21 for engaging with the ball-shaped end piece 31 at the end of the upholding pole 3. The end piece 31 is coupled into the central opening 41 on the mantle 4 in such a way that the screw holes 42 in the back surface of the mantle 4 will align with the perforated slots 22 on the base. The mantle 4 and the base 2 are thus integrated together and become one complete set upon inserting screw 43, from bottom to top, through the perforated slot 22. The screw 43 is then locked into the screw hole 42 so as to have the ball-shaped end piece revolvably engaged in the said cavity. In this way, when a cripple is walking on a bumpy road with the walking aid crutch, then the upholding pole on the crutch will be able to follow the lay of road by changing its supporting angle moderately. On the bottom of the above base 2 there is a cove, or recess 23 and a scupper, or drain 24 extending downward through the bottom of the cavity 21.
In the known configuration, the mantle 4 is made from a hard material while the base 2 is made from soft material. Consequently, after locking the screw into the mantle from the base, the mantel will crack easily at the joint of mantle on using it. When the base is alighting on the ground, the mantle is also tilting from side to side with the crutch. Thus, a dissociative force is created amid the two different kinds of material and the grasping force on the screw that is used for securing the mantle upward is reduced. Consequently, the mantle will not only crack easily, but also lose its function accordingly.
Furthermore, while the bottom surface of the illustrated base includes three respective radial slots, other configurations may not. Consequently, the rubber material on the base may become slippery when it is touching water. Also, since only part of the base will be touching the ground at the beginning of the motion, a water bubble may be formed at the time when the whole round base touches the water completely. Thus, the whole base will become slippery and result in the user losing his barycenter. Accordingly, the walking aid crutch is turned into an unsafe product for the cripple. In view of these two major defects described above for the known crutch, it is desired to develop and invent a new anti-slipping base configuration for the walking aid crutch.